


On the Subject of Honor

by SailorHaumea



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh is completely honest with Zuko
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22610779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorHaumea/pseuds/SailorHaumea
Summary: Iroh opts to tell Zuko up front that he did the right thing just after their banishment, and a drastically different exile results. AU.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 132





	On the Subject of Honor

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, Iroh decides that letting Zuko consider the possibility that Ozai was right to be immensely damaging to his mental health, and instead opts to straight-up tell hjm his father was wrong.

It's the day after they've visited the Western Air Temple that his uncle says the words that rock him to his very core.

"Contrary to what your father would have you believe, you never lost your honor."

It's been just eight days since Zuko was banished. Iroh had decided to be truthful, rather than watching his nephew tear himself apart in the self-harming act of believing he had been wrong to speak out in the war council meeting.

Secrecy wouldn't be right. It would be cruel to let Zuko torture himself like this.

It wouldn't be fair to just gently push him in the right direction in very subtle ways. That still allowed for the prince to further damage his mental health.

A full minute passes before Zuko responds. "What do you mean?"

"You were completely right to oppose General Bujing's plan, and it was wrong that your father refused to accept your desire not to fight him and opted to do such an unspeakable act to you. You didn't dishonor yourself." Iroh's words are unambiguous. There is no proverb, no riddle. Just an uncle telling his nephew that he did the right thing, and his father had done a horrible thing in punishing him for it with physical abuse.

The banished prince falls to his knees, knocking over a chair as he collapses to the floor, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

And his uncle rushes to kneel in front of him, embracing him, holding his nephew as he cries.


End file.
